Monthly Archives: January 2017

Beginner’s Fly Fishing School

Please join us for a fly fishing school. On Sunday, March 12th a Backwater Angler Guide will be teaching a fly fishing school that is ideal for beginners. If you’re planning on fly fishing in Maryland, or anywhere else for that matter, this course is a great introduction to the sport. The school covers knots, casting, gear and fly selection. Class is held from 11:00 AM till 2:00 PM. Cost is $125 per person and includes the use of gear. A Maryland non-tidal fishing license and trout stamp is required and may be purchased at the shop with check or cash the day of the school. Class size is limited to 4 and pre-registration is required. Please give us a call at 410-357-9557 to pre-register.

Beginner’s Fly Fishing School

Please join us for a fly fishing school. On Saturday, March 11th a Backwater Angler Guide will be teaching a fly fishing school that is ideal for beginners. If you’re planning on fly fishing in Maryland, or anywhere else for that matter, this course is a great introduction to the sport. The school covers knots, casting, gear and fly selection. Class is held from 11:00 AM till 2:00 PM. Cost is $125 per person and includes the use of gear. A Maryland non-tidal fishing license and trout stamp is required and may be purchased at the shop with check or cash the day of the school. Class size is limited to 4 and pre-registration is required. Please give us a call at 410-357-9557 to pre-register.

Gunpowder River Stream Report

Tiger Trout In The Gunpowder RiverThe Gunpowder is gin clear and flowing at 38 Cfs at 42 degrees F. This time of year little black and early brown stoneflies are just starting in the riffles between Big Falls Rd. and Bunkerhill Rd. On days without wind, little black flies or snow flies in the #20-22 range can be found above Falls Rd closer to the Dam but a long (12ft) and light (7x) leader is needed to present these tiny flies properly. Blue Winged Olives and cream midges will also make an appearance from time to time through the Masemore Rd stretch. Log jams should be covered with a heavily weighted streamer like a zonked or sculpin pattern and pulled away from banks on an upstream presentation rather than fished on a swing. Thanks to Anthony for the great shot of a recently released Tiger trout.

Beginner’s Fly Fishing School

Please join us for a fly fishing school. On Sunday, February 26th a Backwater Angler Guide will be teaching a fly fishing school that is ideal for beginners. If you’re planning on fly fishing in Maryland, or anywhere else for that matter, this course is a great introduction to the sport. The school covers knots, casting, gear and fly selection. Class is held from 11:00 AM till 2:00 PM. Cost is $125 per person and includes the use of gear. A Maryland non-tidal fishing license and trout stamp is required and may be purchased at the shop with check or cash the day of the school. Class size is limited to 4 and pre-registration is required. Please give us a call at 410-357-9557 to pre-register.

Beginner’s Fly Fishing School

Please join us for a fly fishing school. On Saturday, February 25th a Backwater Angler Guide will be teaching a fly fishing school that is ideal for beginners. If you’re planning on fly fishing in Maryland, or anywhere else for that matter, this course is a great introduction to the sport. The school covers knots, casting, gear and fly selection. Class is held from 11:00 AM till 2:00 PM. Cost is $125 per person and includes the use of gear. A Maryland non-tidal fishing license and trout stamp is required and may be purchased at the shop with check or cash the day of the school. Class size is limited to 4 and pre-registration is required. Please give us a call at 410-357-9557 to pre-register.

January Gunpowder River Fishing Report

Jonathan Barnes

Thanks to Gene for the stream report and pictures of merry old England and a bright wild fish from the boulder pools.

Midges are hatching late morning through the afternoon and with the flow remaining at 38cfs the water temperature can increase significantly on warmer days triggering the fish to feed. I’ve been using small hares ear nymphs and zebra midges size 18. I caught this nice looking fish at falls road recently.

Over a visit back home in England last November I was lucky enough to go fishing on the river Tees with Jonathon Barnes from onstreamguide.com. He helped me refine my Czech and French nymphing techniques to help catch fish in even the toughest conditions. On that morning the temperature barely got above freezing and we ended the day with half a dozen beautiful grayling. Since then I’ve been attaching a French leader straight to the backing of my reel. Using a 10 foot 3 weight rod I can detect the subtlest of strikes much more effectively.

We have 3 different 10 foot models in the shop that are perfectly suited to this technique. The Echo shadow II (retail $249), G. Loomis pro 4x ($375) and the Winston BIIIx Super 10 ($845). Highly recommended for those who want to catch more fish year round!

Winter Gunpowder Brown

Please note: We will be open on January 16 from 10AM till 5PM.

Winter Fly Fishing on the Gunpowder

Cold weather fish
The Gunpowder River is flowing at 38 Cfs and is 43 degrees f and clear.Streamers continue to be a nice way to keep warm out there. Just use the trails and fish the bend pools and shallow riffles with a #8-12 wooly bugger and hold on. Some have been lucky to find a few fish rising to BWO’s and black flies in the flats between Masemore and Falls RD access points. Long leaders in the 10 to 12 ft range ending in 7x are a must for imitating tiny flies in the flats. Trails have been wet and slippery especially in the mornings but putting a few studs in wading shoes and bringing along a wading staff can work to keep one dry this time of year. Thanks to Stefan for the nice shot of a chunky wild brown. Be sure to stop in a see Gene and Stefan for friendly advice before you head out to the river.

T&T Paradigm and Hendrickson Bamboo Rods

IMG_1767If you did not get what you really wanted over the holidays now is your chance! We have just taken in two beautiful Thomas and Thomas Bamboo Fly Rods for sale.
Thomas & Thomas Hendrickson
The first is a T&T Hendrickson that is a 7 1/2 foot 2 tipped 2 piece rod for a #6 line with Serial # 3012. The rod was made for J.S.Stone in 1977. It has the typical Swelled butt and is one of T&T’s best models. It features custom wraps and was made during the Dorsey & Maxwell era and is offered at $1,900
IMG_1574
The second is a T&T Paradigm that is an 8 foot, 2 piece 2 tipped rod for a #5 line with serial # 2590. This rod still bass glossy varnish and is straw colored with honey silk wraps tipped with red thread and blued z-style ferrules. The stripper guide has a carboloy ring. It has a swelled butt and a Butternut reel seat with aluminum up locking screw hardware. It is a medium fast action bamboo fly rod with original bag and brass capped tube offered at $2,150.
Thomas &Thomas Paradigm